fusion

["John S. Denker" <jsd@AV8N.COM>]

On 08/29/2003 11:56 AM, James R. Frysinger wrote:
> A non-authoritative web search indicates that "fusion" dates from
> 1555 and derrives from the the Latin fusio, "a pouring out, melting,
> casting" from fundere, "to pour out".

All sources that are even the least bit authoritative
agree with this.

There is no doubt that fusion refers to melting.

Our word "foundry" comes from the same root, fundere.

This root helps explain why fusion sometimes has
connotations of
 -- destructive melting (as in an electrical fuse), or
 -- constructive melting (as in the fusion of tin and
copper to make bronze in a foundry, or the fusion of
four hydrogens to make helium in the sun).

An online dictionary with etymologies is
  http://www.yourdictionary.com/
and for extraordinary quality, breadth, and depth as
of 100 years ago, I highly recommend
  http://www.global-language.com/century/

Also, I highly recommend installing the DjVu plugin,
available free from
  http://www.lizardtech.com/download/
which is good for viewing the Century Dictionary and
for many other purposes.